


Ephemeral

by malevolentmango



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-03
Updated: 2018-05-13
Packaged: 2019-03-26 15:23:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13860537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/malevolentmango/pseuds/malevolentmango
Summary: adjective1. lasting a very short time; short-lived; transitory- A collection of drabbles and prompt fills. Updates periodically.





	1. Dance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted [here](http://malevolentmango.tumblr.com/post/169159957728/nattoppet-dj-had-the-urge-to-draw-taakitz). Based on art by [nattopet-dj](http://nattoppet-dj.tumblr.com/post/168889469247/had-the-urge-to-draw-taakitz-yeah).

“Where’d you learn to dance, huh? Reaper finishing school?”

 

Kravitz laughs as he sweeps Taako around their kitchen in wide arcs, avoiding counters and islands and appliances with the ease of someone who's intimately familiar with the layout. There's a pot of something that smells delicious bubbling on the stove, which Kravitz had stolen him from when he came in and insisted on a dance. Taako keeps glancing over his shoulder at it.

 

“I would think that was obvious,” he says. On the next circuit around, he brings them to a stop in front of the stove. Taako grins and plants a quick kiss on his cheek before tending to whatever he's making with one hand, keeping the other around Kravitz. 

 

“Yeah well, I once met a bard on… one of those planes? I can't remember, there was like a billion of them - but he tripped over his own feet as much as he used them to walk. So not as obvious as you might think, Bones.” Taako sets his big wooden spoon down on the counter with a  _ thwack  _ and looks at Kravitz expectantly. “Well, what are you waiting for, Fred Astaire, take me away!”

 

Kravitz does as instructed, and they restart their circles around the room. “You seem to have a thing for bards, hmm?”

 

Taako scoffs. “Only the ones who also have great big scythes. I have  _ standards.” _

 

“That must be a very small pool of candidates.”

 

“Yeah, like kiddie pool sized.” Taako's eyes widen. “Krav--”

 

“Absolutely not.”

 

“Aw come on,” Taako whines, sliding his arm further around Kravitz's shoulders and leaning into him. “We could put it in the attic! We're not using that for anything.”

 

“Aside from storing all of your merch, you mean?”

 

“Exactly!”

 

Kravitz snorts. There may or may not be a kiddie pool in their attic the next time he comes home, but at least it won't be a surprise if water starts leaking from the ceiling. 

 

He pulls Taako closer with a hand at his waist as they twirl around the room, more slowly now. Kravitz's cheek rests against the top of Taako’s head. Eventually, he says, “I learned from my mother, a very long time ago.”

 

Taako hums an acknowledgement into Kravitz's neck. He presses a gentle kiss there, just above the collar. Kravitz smiles. 

 

“Well you're certainly better at it than bard boy from Planet No-Name would've been.”

 

When they round the central island into the open space leading to the breakfast nook, Kravitz twirls Taako out in an elegant spin, then tugs him back in by their joined hands. He pulls Taako close again as they rotate on the spot.

 

“I should hope so,” he says with just a hint of a smirk. Taako's cheeks are a delightful shade of pink. 

 

“Show off,” Taako mutters, but he's smiling as he says it, a hint of that genuine little smile that Kravitz knows very few people have ever seen. 

 

They remain there for a few quiet moments, shifting from side to side now more than actual dancing. The timer goes off, but Taako doesn’t seem to hear it. 

 

“I love you, Taako.”

 

Taako looks up at him, and there's no mistaking that smile now. He's the most beautiful thing Kravitz has ever seen, and for a moment, he forgets about the dance entirely. They come to a stop in the middle of their kitchen. Taako lays a hand on Kravitz's shoulder, fingers tangling in his long hair. 

 

“You're a big sap, Krav,” he says fondly. “But, you know… likewise.”

 

Kravitz brings them together in a sweet kiss, which lasts for only a few seconds before the timer goes off again. Taako jolts out of his arms with a loud “Fuck!” and races to the stove, shouting obscenities over his shoulder as Kravitz just laughs.


	2. Every Morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: "You're the only one I wanna wake up next to." Originally found [here](http://malevolentmango.tumblr.com/post/171255120303/maybe-youre-the-only-one-i-wanna-wake-up-next).

Kravitz cards a hand through Taako’s hair, dozing lazily in the late morning sun streaming in through their bedroom window. They have nowhere pressing to be today, which is rare - usually it’s an endless stream of work and social functions and Lup and Barry crashing into their house at unexpected hours of the day. But they’re both off for the day, with no parties scheduled and Lup and Barry off in the Astral Plane.

 

He could be content to just lay here in silence for hours, with Taako draped over him letting the heat of him and the sun combined warm him to his very core.

 

Taako, of course, can only stand the quiet for so long.

 

“Hey, Krav?” he says after a time, and Kravitz can feel his jaw moving where his face is pressed into Kravitz’s chest.

 

“Yes, love?”

 

“You’re the only one I wanna wake up next to.”

 

Kravitz smiles and holds him tighter. “Likewise, of course--”

 

“No, I mean like. Ever. Forever? You know?”

 

He peers down at Taako; it’s an awkward angle, and he can’t really see his face this way, but there’s a definite red tint to his ears that means he’s blushing furiously. 

 

“... Thank you?”

 

Taako sighs with clear exasperation. Kravitz realizes that this is one of those  _ things. _ Sometimes, when Taako has something very important to say, his words will take the most circuitous route to what he means. He’s not even sure that Taako’s aware that he does this, but Kravitz is well-versed with this aspect of Taako’s character by now. He takes a moment to parse the words, think back on what exactly he said, and the way he said it.

 

_ “Forever,” _ Taako says, more insistently this time, and he turns his head to stare at Kravitz now. He is indeed blushing, but there’s a fierceness, a surety, to his gaze that takes Kravitz’s breath away. “Just me and you and--and waking up together. Natch.”

 

“You know you don’t have to ask me for forever, Taako,” Kravitz tries, watching his face closely for any change. If anything, he only looks more intense than before. Kravitz must be getting close.

 

“Sure, I get that. Immortality and all. Pretty cool that you’re gonna live for like, a billion years, huh? Kinda weird to spend a bunch of those years with--with lil old Taako.”

 

Kravitz squints at him. Taako’s eyes widen, just slightly.

 

“Are you--” Kravitz tilts his head, and something clicks into place. He continues, hesitantly, “Are you  _ asking _ me for forever? If I want to share my forever with you?”

 

“Hatchi matchi, when you put it that way--”

 

“Because if so, my answer is yes.”

 

Taako’s jaw snaps shut almost comically. Kravitz raises an eyebrow at him.

 

“Well,” Taako says, clearing his throat. “I mean, who would say no to forever with Taako, right? You’re just making a good life decision, at this point.”

 

“Indeed I am.”

 

They stare at each other, unblinking. Kravitz refuses to be the first one to break. Eventually, Taako’s mouth twitches, and suddenly he’s smiling brightly enough to put the sun to shame. He buries his head back in Kravitz’s chest, but not before pressing a quick, chaste kiss to his lips.

 

“Glad that’s decided,” Taako mutters. A few beats of silence pass, and then he adds, “‘Cause, you know. I love you, I guess.”

 

Kravitz grins up at the ceiling, filled with warmth and contentment. He traces patterns in the skin of Taako’s back with errant fingers.

 

“I know. I love you too, Taako. Forever.”


	3. Expression

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: "You're the only one I wanna wake up next to." Originally found [here](http://malevolentmango.tumblr.com/post/171252996053/70-and-taakitz-o).

Kravitz does this thing when he’s confused, Taako thinks. His big tell. His eyes widen, just barely, and his face freezes in a way that would be impossible for someone who isn’t a technically undead bounty hunter for the Raven Queen. It took Taako a while to pick up on it, and he’s still figuring out how to read Kravitz when it comes to certain things.

 

But the confused face, he’s got that one down pat.

 

Normally Taako sees it when he’s done something that Kravitz thinks is particularly strange. Or when Magnus drops off yet another hand-carved side table as a “housewarming gift” even though they’ve lived here for almost a year now. 

 

He sees it the most, though, whenever Taako does something nice for him.

 

Which is, you know,  _ frustrating.  _ Taako’s making an effort here, and he’d very much like this to be recognized without quite so much disbelief.

 

He gets the confused face when Kravitz comes home from a day of work in the Astral Plane to a plate of his favorite cookies - peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chunk, the absolute  _ madman _ \- and dinner in the oven making the kitchen smell absolutely fucking heavenly, if Taako does say so himself. 

 

Kravitz recovers quickly and accepts the cookie that Taako waves in his face by way of greeting, giving him a quick kiss on his way to the fridge to grab drinks for them both.

 

Taako knows that’s what he’s doing, because Kravitz is considerate like that. Because he  _ knows _ Kravitz. Taako squints at the back of his head.

 

“Hey, Krav?”

 

“Yes love?” Kravitz says distractedly.

 

“What am I doing wrong here?”

 

Kravitz abandons his search for Taako’s favorite cider and turns to face him. He’s wearing confused face v.2, which is the more obviously confused version.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I mean…” Taako gestures at the kitchen, and by extension the rest of the house. “I’m trying really hard here, you know? I don’t make this much effort for just anyone.”

 

The confusion deepens into what Taako thinks might be v.3, a previously unseen confused face.

 

“I appreciate the cookies…?”

 

“No, no.” Taako sighs and tries again, fighting around a significant blush and words that don’t seem to want to form correctly. “You always get this  _ look,  _ okay? Whenever I do something nice for you. Just like… like it’s unbelievable to you.”

 

“I don’t--”

 

_ “Every time,  _ Krav. Never fails.” Taako crosses the kitchen to stand in front of him, puts his hands on Kravitz’s chest. “Listen: Cha’boy’s bad at words sometimes, but you know I love you, right?”

 

To Taako’s great surprise, Kravitz’s face shifts away from confusion and straight into surprise, accompanied by something soft and sincere that makes Taako’s cheeks burn.

 

“I mean… yes?”

 

Taako gapes at him.

 

“After everything we’ve been through, you still don’t think that I love you?” Kravitz bites his lip and looks away, unable to meet Taako’s eyes. Taako immediately grabs his face and shifts it back into place. “Uh-uh, Bones, you got me talking about feelings, so now we’re doing this shit.”

 

Kravitz opens and closes his mouth a few times, searching for the words. Finally, he says, “It’s not that--I know you do, Taako. I  _ know. _ I’m sorry if I made you think otherwise with my… face?” He chuckles a bit. “I guess I’m just… it still surprises me.”

 

Taako frowns, but before he can protest, Kravitz adds, “It’s not--it’s not you.” Kravitz sighs. “You have to understand, darling. I’ve known you for… a year and a half now? And for a thousand years before that, I didn’t. I didn’t know you. I didn’t know  _ love. _ I think I just… forgot what it meant.”

 

He cradles Taako’s face between his hands and kisses his forehead. Taako fights back a grin.

 

“I mean, I guess that makes sense. Totally--totally legit reasoning.”

 

Kravitz smiles a little sheepishly. “I suppose I have a confession to make, actually.”

 

“Oh yeah? Gimme that gossip, babe, I’m all ears.”

 

“Whenever I act… confused, I guess? Whenever you do something that’s so sweet and considerate and so--so very  _ you,  _ well. You quite literally make my heart beat.” Kravitz laughs. “That’s what’s so surprising about it. I’m not used to it.”

 

Taako stares at him. Distantly, he realizes that he can, in fact, feel Kravitz’s heart beating under his hands. A slow smile creeps across his face. 

 

“Are you saying my love brought you back to life?”

 

Kravitz laughs and pulls him in for a kiss, a real one this time, and murmurs against his lips, “Don’t push your luck, dear.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come chat with me about TAZ on [tumblr](http://malevolentmango.tumblr.com)!


End file.
